LATEST NEWS
Introducing Rebecca Monro
When asked to describe what motivated her to lead the MBA program as its new assistant dean, Rebecca Monro replied, “The Lundquist College offers rigorous academics and a truly distinctive hands-on program facilitated by a top-tier faculty. It simply felt like a perfect match." Blending academic knowledge with real-world learning in a vibrant higher education experience is an ongoing career theme for Monro. She comes to the UO from the University of Minnesota's Institute for Research in Marketing, a first-of-its-kind program at the Carlson School of Management that brought together marketing students, faculty, and practitioners to develop partnerships and novel research. "The Oregon MBA is already an exceptional program, and I am enthusiastic about working with our team to raise the Oregon MBA profile and expand it in line with Dean de Kluyver's vision," said Monro, who started in her new position on January 17. Already forging connections with colleagues and current students, Monro is eager for actionable feedback from the program's graduates: "I look forward to hearing from alumni. Sometimes the best ideas come from those we already know. If you're an Oregon MBA alum, I hope to meet you or hear from you in the near future." You may reach Monro at rmonro@uoregon.edu. More about Monro.
A Newly Minted Agreement
A serendipitous partnership between the Lundquist College of Business and the Oregon Bankers Association (OBA) will benefit students, Oregon's independent community banks, and even the state's legislators. When Jeff DeBoer came on board as managing director of the Finance and Security Analysis Center (FSAC) last June, one of the first orders of business was to expand the curriculum to include a commercial banking track. Meanwhile, the OBA needed help replacing the in-state commercial banking training programs formerly offered by the larger national banks. Recognizing an opportunity, OBA signed on to support FSAC's efforts through a gold-level Century Club membership. With the launch of a new commercial banking course this term and other programs planned for the future, Oregon's financial institutions won't have to wait long for a new generation of bankers. For the college, the new partnership's benefits are self-evident: "With more than fifty member organizations, the Oregon Bankers Association is a tremendous resource for internships, career opportunities, guest speakers, and instructors," said DeBoer. (Indeed, the OBA's president and CEO Linda Navarro will speak at the college February 2.) And, after this fall's elections, the college will team with the OBA to offer seminars on commercial banking basics to Oregon's newly elected state legislators.
Brewing Up Success
"I expected it to be a lot of work, and it was. But it was fun work," said Shannon Oliver, MBA '13, describing a unique aspect of the Oregon MBA. Each fall, members of the first-year MBA cohort start working with a real-life company, almost right away, applying concepts learned in class--even while they're still acquiring them. This year's client was Ninkasi Brewing Company, the Eugene-based business that--for the past two years--has been the fastest growing craft brewery in the U.S. Working in small teams, the students tackled marketing and management opportunities identified by Ninkasi. "It was great to see how engaged [the students] were, and how deep they wanted to get into the business," said Jessica Jones, Ninkasi's director of business process development. Get the full story in the video above.
On January 19, Lundquist College of Business academic advisor Tayah Butler received campus-wide recognition for her groundbreaking work promoting diversity. She was one of five UO employees honored with a 2012 Martin Luther King, Jr. Award. Butler--who is also a driving force behind the Diversity in the Workplace Symposium scheduled for this March--launched the Building Business Leaders project in September 2010. Building Business Leaders is a cohort-based program designed to attract and retain students from underrepresented minority groups--and to prepare them to compete for full-major status in their junior years. Already, the project has seen striking success, with the original cohort boasting a retention rate of 75 percent, and a second group of thirty undergraduates coming aboard this past fall. Even more telling than these statistics, however, are words from first-year student Alyssa Rodriguez: "This cohort has given me the strength and the desire to keep pushing through all of my worries and my homesickness in order to gain what we all are working towards: to get into the business school.” See highlights of the event in these photos shot by undergraduate Teniola Komolafe.
"Whoosh-kerthomp!" That was the sound of bags of bread being tossed to participants in a question-and-answer session with the Entrepreneurship Club's first guest speaker of the winter term. "I like to bribe people to ask questions," explained Dave Dahl, the CEO of--and creative force behind--Dave's Killer Bread, the explosively successful Portland-based bread company. While lofting organic loaves to a standing-room-only crowd of more than 240 people may be an unusual way to motivate an audience, no one ever said Dahl was a run-of-the-mill guy. After showing a video outlining his inspiring story of retooling his family's bread business after years of drugs and jail time, Dahl fielded a wide range of questions. Topics included the challenges of working in a family business, how Dahl screens potential hires--including the ex-felons who make up around 30 percent of his staff--and what measures the company has taken to cope with its astonishing expansion. Dahl's answer? "We're trying not to grow more than 40 percent this year."
Planning to hit the slopes this winter? Check out SnowSense, an iPhone and iPad app recently launched by Joe Wright--a first-year MBA candidate affiliated with the Lundquist Center for Entrepreneurship--and his partner Max Lansing, a software developer with a background in geography. Because SnowSense's updates are based on a unique algorithm of real-time data on weather, snow quantity, and snow quality, users see not just how much snow there is currently and how much is expected, but whether the snow is wet, dry, and so forth. Sophisticated artwork also sets the app apart: each resort is represented in an illustration created by Wright, who is also responsible for the subtle, elegant animations reflecting time of day, snow levels, and shifting weather patterns. "Launching the app during my first term in the MBA program turned out to be a great way to use what I was learning--right off the bat," said Wright. The app currently profiles resorts in California, Nevada, and Oregon. An update scheduled for mid-February will include resorts in Washington. Get the app from iTunes.
This January, second-year MBA students affiliated with the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center spent three fast-paced days in New York City meeting with high-level executives at some of the most influential companies and organizations in the world of sports. The annual event marks the final trip the cohort will take together as a group, and it is one that is recalled with enthusiasm by many alums. This year's roster included an insider's view of ESPN (led by two program alums); a session at sports and entertainment powerhouse IMG; and a visit to the headquarters of Bloomberg Sports. For at least one participant, as noted on the Warsaw Center's Facebook page, the trip's highlight was the opportunity to spend 45 minutes meeting with NBA commissioner David Stern. For others, like Bill Zachry, MBA '12, the experience drove home the strength and vitality of the center's unparalleled connections. "The Warsaw Center has an amazing network of alumni and contacts. This was powerfully reinforced numerous times as we met with many people who literally run many aspects of the industry."
Just a few weeks into the winter term, and already so much has happened--and there's plenty more to look forward to. Here's just a sampling:
JANUARY NEWS
To make the most of their nation's Sports Hub--a vast, state-of-the-art complex scheduled for completion in 2014--and to help position their nation as Asia's top destination for professional sports, the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) will tap the expertise of Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the UO Lundquist College of Business. This past December, the SSC and the Warsaw Center confirmed a five-year partnership that will include training for Singapore's high-level sports officials, sports-oriented study programs at the UO for Singaporean students, and opportunities for MBA students affiliated with the Warsaw Center to work on a variety of projects in Singapore. "This is a win-win situation for everyone involved," said Paul Swangard, the center's managing director. "While the Singapore Sports Council leverages the Warsaw Center's resources and connections, our students gain a unique opportunity to play key roles in developing a multifaceted sports industry on a level that is truly global." Get more details.
This past winter break, seventeen undergraduates from the college's Honors Program traveled to Guatemala to help build homes for two families, through the University of Oregon’s international exchange and service-learning program and Habitat for Humanity. "The experience was truly life-changing," said participant Ryan Dingler. "It enabled me to think more about the possible repercussions of future business decisions and how they may affect other parts of the world." Though only a few of the students spoke Spanish, the language barrier soon melted away. "I experienced how everything communicates: your attitude, your body language, and your hand motions," said student Abby Carrier. "This was something I learned in my marketing communications class just weeks before." Indeed, students put their business training into practice preparing for the project by raising money and applying for scholarships through a new fund for international business studies generously donated by Tracy and Oystein Harsvik '88. "Our goal is to educate business leaders who are prepared for the global environment, understand the impact of their business decisions, and who value service to the community. Programs like this emphasize these values and make them real to our students," said Jeanne Coe, interim assistant dean for undergraduate programs, who worked alongside the students. To find out more, watch the above video, created by project participant Tyler Woodke.
We're pleased to announce some changes to our website's navigation that will make it easier for newcomers and frequent visitors alike to get where they need to go. The handy new pop-down menu available from every page on the site is the most obvious change. Just one click on the grey bar at the top of the page reveals a comprehensive list of links to each of the website's main areas. Meanwhile, the website sections devoted to the Oregon MBA and the college's centers now sport secondary navigation bars with shortcuts to their specific resources. The website's search function is significantly improved and a newly streamlined site map provides a comprehensive overview of the entire website. Looking for a faculty or staff member? Just click the "Find People" link that appears just below the search box on every page to get to the Lundquist College of Business faculty/staff directory.
He's built and fostered strong ties with industry--on the local, regional, national, and international levels. He's played a key role in securing government funding to further develop Pacific Northwest clean tech industry as a member of Manufacturing 21, the regional coalition for economic development. These are just a few of the reasons the Lundquist College of Business has honored Nagesh Murthy as the 2012 Thomas C. Stewart Professor. Over the years, Murthy has secured a multitude of hands-on learning experiences for his students, by organizing more than 140 company-sponsored projects for his classes and helping place students in summer internships all over the world. "Nagesh truly takes experiential learning to a new level in his courses," said Associate Dean Dave Boush.
"I always thought that a leader has to have all the answers. But this class has shown me that what matters is being able to ask the right questions," said Mark Schleyer, describing his recent experience in the Lundquist College's Leadership in Action course. Led by senior instructor Anne Forrestel, the annual course gives a group of twenty juniors and seniors the opportunity to work on consulting projects for area nonprofits and local government agencies. This fall's clients included St. Vincent de Paul, housing support provider ShelterCare, the Lane Coalition for Healthy and Active Youth, and the Assistance League of Eugene. Students build real-world skills as they tackle the unpredictable challenges these projects provide. Even after the term ends, the experience lives on for many students who--seeing how their business education can make a meaningful difference for nonprofit organizations--make a long-term commitment to community service.
What a thrill it was to see that a grand total of six winners of the most recent 20 Under 40 Awards are Lundquist College of Business alumni. For the past four years, the annual event has recognized the Eugene area's emerging business leaders, honoring them for their community involvement, as well as for what they've achieved in their careers. By combining professional excellence with a commitment to the greater good, these graduates reflect values central to the business school's mission. Please join us in congratulating Chad Barczak, Darci Buschelman, Carrie Fortier, Michelle McCoy, Andrea Smith and Tenille Woodward.
A winning combination of know-how and fresh ideas--that's the value real-life businesses and organizations find when they work with the student consulting teams in senior instructor Beth Hjelm's business strategy and planning course. Numbering among this fall's clients were a national printing house looking to expand to the Middle East; an organization weighing the pros and cons of starting Oregon's first large-scale commercial mussel farm; ski and hiking boot manufacturer Garmont USA in need of distribution and logistics models as they move from Vermont to new headquarters in Portland, Oregon; and RideAble, a Eugene-area nonprofit seeking ways to grow their therapeutic horseback riding program. Wrapping up the term, the student teams present their findings to an audience composed of their classmates, Hjelm, and at least one representative of the client organization-- who attend in person or via the conferencing technology of the college's Business Research Institute. "This course challenges our students to use everything they've learned here to find meaningful solutions for real clients," said Hjelm. "It's the capstone of our students' undergraduate business education."
The numbers are in. Confirming the Lundquist College's longstanding commitment to giving back, our faculty and staff met--and exceeded--this year's goals for the annual Oregon Employees Charitable Fund Drive. As of press time, a grand total of 81 people (up from last year's already impressive 67) have pledged $40,267.00 to local charities. At a little over 17 percent of the University of Oregon's total pledge of $232,469.00, that's more than any other group on campus--and more than the entirety of Portland State University. Looking for more bragging points? The UO's total pledges came to more than twice the combined total raised by OSU and PSU. Go Ducks!
There's been a lot happening both off and on campus over the past weeks. Here are some of the highlights: the lobby of the Oregon Business Institute--home of our Portland-based executive education program--sports a new look reflecting the UO's rebranding of the program. On December 1, accounting grads from the mid-Oregon region had a chance to mix, mingle and socialize at a reception held in Eugene by UO Accounting Alumni Network. Did you know? Business major Alaina Bergsma has been named Miss Oregon USA 2012 and will represent the state in the national Miss USA pageant. (Talk about a triple threat: she's also captain of the Oregon Ducks Volleyball Team.) Speaking about business smarts and athletic ability--tight end and Oregon MBA candidate David Paulson was featured in the Rose Bowl game program.
The University of Oregon now ranks sixteenth in the nation for "innovation yield"--the rate at which money invested in research yields revenue. Making this achievement even more impressive is the fact that just a decade ago the school was in ninety-third place on the same list. Statewide, the UO is head and shoulders above its academic rivals. While the other three Oregon schools on the list--Oregon State University, Oregon Health & Sciences University, and Portland State University--spent a combined total of nearly six times what the UO spends on research, they produced just over half as much licensing income. Like our parent institution, the Lundquist College of Business has a long tradition of investing wisely for real-world rewards. Looking to the future, we see many opportunities--for the state of Oregon as well as our students--in the intersection of entrepreneurship and sustainable business. To make the most of this "sweet spot," we are creating the Business Innovation Institute--an umbrella under which to house the college's Lundquist Center for Entrepreneurship and Center for Sustainable Business Practices. Get the details on the UO's advances in innovation yield and find out more about the planned Business Innovation Institute in Dean de Kluyver's November Inner Circle email.
On December 2, three teams of entrepreneurially minded business students vied for the top spot in the final round of the Lundquist College's annual graduate-level Venture Quest Investment Competition. At stake were cash prizes and the chance to receive valuable feedback from top Northwest business professionals. This year's winners were MBA students James Collins, Peter Philbrick, Dan Richmond, and Bryan Schoen, whose Hawk Mobility Systems provides an innovative solution for moving patients. For many budding entrepreneurs, a Venture Quest victory is just the beginning of their startup adventure. After racking up a string of successes at investment competitions all over the country, last year's winning team VisiRay is finding support through an agreement with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the White House's Startup America Initiative. Meanwhile, anyone who's been to Autzen Stadium lately (or LSU's Tiger Stadium or the UCLA Rose Bowl among other spots) can see for themselves the success found by 2010 runner-up Shady Peeps--maker of sunglasses in NCAA team colors. Catch up with VisiRay's latest accomplishments and download a UO Business article about ShadyPeeps. Find out more about Hawk Mobility Systems and the two runners-up in the UO Business blog.
What's the dress code for an interview at Nike World Headquarters? What percentage of Nike interns land jobs at the company? Members of the Warsaw Sports Business Club (WSBC) learned the answers to these questions--and many more--during the group's recent visit to the company's Beaverton campus. Events kicked off with a presentation on the company's history and brand, followed by a question and answer session with four UO alums currently working there. "Being able to highlight successful alumni on the panel showed what is possible for our students to achieve," said sports business instructor Whitney Wagoner, the club's advisor. The grand finale? The chance to shop the Nike Employee Store. Fittingly enough, the spirit of competition infused even the trip's selection process, in which eighty WSBC members vied for sixty available spots by presenting the club's executive team with their resumes and responses to real-life Nike interview questions. Get more details in these blog entries by WSBC members Kayla Glanville and Christian Prieto.
“In Singapore alone, there are 800 Ducks that we know of. And those are just the ones we already know,” said Dean Kees de Kluyver. Reaffirming connections with alumni was one of the top priorities of a trip to Singapore and Hong Kong the dean recently took with Mike Andreasen, the UO's vice president for university development. Another of the trip's key goals was to explore new study abroad opportunities--and fine-tune existing programs. As a result of the trip, plans are now in place for the college’s hallmark Engaging Asia study tour to include a stint in Hong Kong for MBA students affiliated with the Finance and Securities Analysis Center. “First hand experience meeting financial executives and political figures in one of the world's foremost financial centers is vital for our students,” said the center’s managing director, Jeff DeBoer, who joined de Kluyver for the Hong Kong leg of the trip. Next up on the dean's travel schedule? An alumni gathering in Amsterdam this winter, followed by a June trip to Norway to get acquainted with the Ducks of Oslo.
The handlebar, the horseshoe, the Dalí--these are just a few of the mustache styles you might have seen around the Lillis Business Complex this past month. For the second year in a row, Oregon MBA candidates participated in Movember, the international movement dedicated to raising awareness of--and funds for--men's health issues, raising a grand total of $9,579 so far (handily winning their gentleman's wager with their counterparts in the law school). The idea is simple: start the month with a bare upper lip and then let nature take its course--aided, perhaps, by some discreet trimming. Friends, family, and others support the efforts of the "Mo Bros"--and their female allies, the "Mo Sistas"--with donations to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, LIVESTRONG, and the Movember Foundation. Meanwhile, curiosity about the upper lip embellishments leads to frank talk about health and wellness. See the swashbuckling 'staches in action in the video above.
Faculty and staff members gathered recently to celebrate Wendy Mitchell's twenty-five years at the Lundquist College of Business. Currently the assistant dean for undergraduate programs, Mitchell will step down from that position when she retires at the end of December 2011. After earning her MBA here in 1985, Mitchell returned to teach the BA 101 course in 1986 and went on serve in a wide range of leadership positions throughout the college. "I backed into the best job of my entire life," Mitchell remarked recently. And indeed, the feeling is mutual. "Wendy is an unfailingly considerate colleague who insists that every opinion be heard and respected," said Andrew Verner, assistant dean for graduate programs. What's next? Though skiing, backpacking, a trip to Scotland for golfing and hiking, learning French, and playing the piano all figure into her plans, "having an unscheduled day is the thing that excites me most," according to Mitchell. View a Facebook photo gallery of Mitchell's retirement celebration and share your memories.
When we say the Oregon MBA's unique offerings draw students from all over the globe, it's no exaggeration. Students in the cohort that started this fall hail from spots as diverse as Anchorage, Alaska; Aiea, Hawaii; Kuwait City, Kuwait; Mungyeong City, South Korea; and Quito, Ecuador--to name just a few. Whether they've joined us from a place as close as Eugene, or as distant as Beijing, we welcome the breadth of experience--and diverse viewpoints--each MBA candidate brings to the program. (And now that they've joined us on campus, are their traveling days on hold? Not likely, judging from the locations of past classes' summer internships.) We've updated our interactive maps so you can get better acquainted with the classes of 2012 and 2013--and see where our MBA students have interned.
NOVEMBER NEWS
What a weekend it was. For over half a decade, ESPN College GameDay's annual stop in Eugene has provided an extra jolt of big-screen excitement to the fall football season. This year, excitement rose to new heights for all of us at the Lundquist College when, for the first time ever, the folks from ESPN chose UO Memorial Quad for the site of the October 15 GameDay Broadcast, with the Lillis Business Complex as a backdrop. We weren't going to waste this chance to show off our world-class facilities, so we rushed to have a giant "O" graphic installed over the building's main entrance (see photos of the installation). Saturday's action kicked off early: students started staking out their spots in the viewing area at 1 a.m. and the show began taping at 6 a.m. in the pre-dawn darkness. Catch the GameDay action in this photo gallery. Go Ducks!
"Marketing has been a common theme throughout my career in both industry and academia," explained marketing instructor John Davis, describing the central element of an accomplished career. A newcomer to Eugene, Davis spent the past few years based in Singapore, where he was dean of the global MBA program at international business school S P Jain. Thanks to experience working for the likes of Nike and Informix, among others, the marketing professor brings his students a wealth of practical knowledge. Key areas of research for Davis are marketing accountability, brand strategy, and sports marketing, and he has written extensively on these topics, publishing half a dozen books in about as many years, including The Olympic Games Effect, the go-to volume on building brand through sports marketing. Find out more about Davis--and learn why he's so excited to be at the Lundquist College of Business--in the video interview above.
More than sixty of the school's MBA candidates traveled to Portland October 27-29 for the 2011 Net Impact Conference, the annual gathering of graduate students and professionals committed to using business skills to make the world a better place. Our students have traditionally made a strong showing at these events. This year they enjoyed an especially high profile because, in addition to being a conference co-host, the UO chapter played a leading role in organizing it. What's it like to transition from attendee to organizer? "It was a tremendous opportunity," said chapter president Cassidy Williams. "We grew our network, refined our business skills, and built on our experience by applying the strategies and tools we've learned in the classroom." Read blog coverage of the event and keep up with UO Net Impact on their Facebook page.
Sport Marketing Quarterly has named "Good Morning, Vietnam: An Ethical Analysis of Nike Activities in Southeast Asia"--co-authored by Lundquist College of Business faculty members Dave Boush, Lynn Kahle, and Mark Phelps--one of the top twenty articles in the journal's twenty years of publication. Originally published in 2000, the article stemmed from the authors' 1998 visit to Vietnam. In it, they use ethical analysis, plus experience gleaned from an onsite factory visit, to explore the complexities of Nike's relationship with Vietnamese factory workers and subcontractors. "We are truly honored to have our work recognized by Sport Marketing Quarterly, a publication which I believe is the top in its field," said Kahle, who traveled to Houston to accept the award at this year's Sport Marketing Association conference. UPDATE: Wow! Talk about multiple honors. Turns out the Lundquist College boasts a direct connection to two more articles--and three more authors--on this elite list. Professors Dennis Howard and Robert Madrigal are coauthors of "Using the Psychological Commitment to Team Scale to Segment Sport Consumers Based on Loyalty;" while another article is co-authored by Mark Pritchard, who earned his doctorate here and is Howard's former advisee. (In fact, four of Howard's advisees from his days at Ohio State have made the Top 20 as well.) Check out Sport Marketing Quarterly's Top 20 in 20 to view abstracts of these articles.
What's the easiest way to stay up to date with activities of the students in the Building Business Leaders project? Just scan the group's brand-new QR code, created for them by Qreative Partnerships, a firm headed by area technology entrepreneur Quentin Harley. The high-tech graphic was unveiled during an October event celebrating the project's second year and welcoming the new group of students joining the original cohort. Launched last year as part of the CEO Network, Building Business Leaders is a cohort program that aims to attract and retain students from underrepresented minority groups. View photos from the event by scanning the QR code pictured above. (Smartphone/iPad users: simply follow this link.)
Starting next fall, professionals looking to take their careers to the next level will be able to take advantage of an exciting new model of executive education offered by the UO Lundquist College of Business through its Portland-based Oregon Business Institute (OBI). In addition to being able to enroll in a full executive MBA program, business professionals can earn individual certificates in specific knowledge areas. (Those interested in pursuing the full MBA can combine these certificates with the program's "Executive Tool Kit," a cohort-based grounding in key business topics.) "This modular approach is tailored to busy professionals who need highly targeted 'just-in-time' knowledge," said Wes Balda, the college's assistant dean for Portland programs and OBI executive director. "[It] can also benefit seasoned leaders who received MBAs decades ago and want to gain new skills in areas like sustainable supply chain management." Find out more about the updated program.
Family businesses--and the specific challenges faced by a younger generation transitioning into leadership roles--were the topics of a Business Leadership Forum presented by the Lundquist College this October. The second in a series of quarterly events hosted by Dean Kees de Kluyver--and aimed at an audience of local business leaders--the forum's feature speaker was Mark T. Green, an internationally known family business consultant. "By offering topics that often aren't covered elsewhere, we enable local business leaders to discover the expertise and resources the Lundquist College offers," said director of corporate relations Betsy Richanbach. "Plus, it's a great opportunity for Lane County business executives to get to know each other better." The next forum will take place in January 2012 (exact date TBD). Interested in attending? Contact Richanbach at betsy@uoregon.edu.
"Putting together a team of twelve to fifteen people from different countries and different backgrounds and watching them bond over a common goal--it's one of my favorite things," said Kim Rambo-Reinitz, describing the Lundquist College undergraduate Peer Advising program she coordinates. Each year, business majors apply to take part in the program's extensive training in order to volunteer five hours a week providing drop-in advising to fellow students. Along with the satisfaction of helping others, peer advisors also gain professional skills: "Being a peer advisor has given me the confidence to ask questions when I am unsure of an answer and also given me the tools to work with people from different cultures," said current advisor Amanda Kennedy. That impact has not gone unnoticed. Rambo-Reinitz has been busy presenting the college's peer advising program to campus-wide audiences as a model others are seeking to adopt. She has also been invited to present at the regional conference of the National Academic Advising Association in Portland this March. Find out more about the Peer Advising program.
October is traditionally a busy month around campus, but this year it seems even more so. Here are just a few more of the month's highlights:
OCTOBER NEWS
Can children be tempted into healthier eating habits through the promise of receiving a collectible toy? The answer is yes, especially if that toy is the final piece needed to complete a set. This was the surprising finding in a two-part study of preschoolers by marketing professor T. Bettina Cornwell and her coauthor, Anna McAlister, University of Wisconsin–Madison. "What was interesting to us," said Cornwell, "was that the presence of the collectible toy moved the healthier food option up to the point that it was just as likable as the fast-food offering." The high-profile study is sure to add a new twist to a debate that has lead to bans on the giveaways in some areas and an anti-ban backlash in others. Watch a video interview, get more details, and download the study.
"Top notch"--that's what US News & World Report's college guide called our business program in a recent article on the University of Oregon. (The Lillis Business Complex and its solar panels were also singled out for special mention.) Meanwhile, The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur ranked the Lundquist Center for Entrepreneurship among the nation's top twenty-five for graduate-level entrepreneurship education--making this the fourth time in the past five years the center has been numbered among this elite group. And the UO chapter of accounting fraternity Beta Alpha Psi--having already achieved Gold Chapter status over the summer--has been recognized as a Superior Chapter for the eighth year in a row.
Now you can read UO Business before it's even been printed. View the digital edition of our alumni magazine for great stories and info, including Dean de Kluyver's list of the four must-have leadership skills that give our graduates a competitive edge; our cover story on the MBA students whose wind-power project propelled their careers in new directions; insights into marketing instructor Mike Dore's teaching success, plus the story behind his vast collection of Coke cans; the inspiring story of three young alums steering their family's construction business to success in challenging times; and so much more. (Sign up here to receive next year's magazine by email instead of via the postal service.) View UO Business online.
Visiting the world's largest indoor skate/BMX park (on the outskirts of Beijing); touring a zipper factory and gaining unexpected insights into the complexities of managing a large-scale supply chain; and mastering the art of negotiation in the bustling marketplaces of Beijing and Shanghai--these are just a tiny fraction of the eye-opening experiences chronicled by second-year MBA students from all four centers who participated in the sixth annual Engaging Asia study tour this September. Catch the excitement--and find out which center won this year's "Eat for ¥35" (approximately US$5.50) contest--in this year's Engaging Asia blog.
Five new faculty members have joined the Lundquist College of Business this fall. Some are up-and-coming talent. Others are already renowned in their fields. Their areas of expertise span many topics, including sports business, statistical analysis and mathematical optimization, disclosure policy, executive risk-taking, management, and more. With the addition of these five, the number of new professors and instructors hired in the past four years comes to a grand total of twenty-nine, a number that reflects the college's growing enrollment--and the continuing expansion of our global and academic ambitions.
Meet the new faculty members.
| John A. Davis, Instructor of Marketing
Former dean, S P Jain Center of Management, Singapore
Degree: MBA, Columbia University
Expertise: Brand strategy, marketing strategy, corporate sponsorship, Olympics, sports marketing, sales management, and leadership
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| Seungmin Chee , Assistant Professor of Accounting
Degree: PhD, University of California, Berkeley
Teaching and Research Interests: Compensation, earnings management, and disclosure policy.
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| Ted Helvoigt, Instructor of Decision Sciences
From: Evergreen Economics
Degree: PhD, Oregon State University
Teaching and Research Interests: Statistics and natural resources, energy, and healthcare economics.
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| Stephen McKeon, Assistant Professor of Finance
Degree: PhD, Purdue University
Corporate finance, corporate governance, capital structure and executive risk-taking
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| Tina Starr, Instructor of Management
From: University of Nottingham (United Kingdom)
Degree: PhD, University of Nottingham
Teaching and Research Interests: Cross-cultural management, human resource management, international organizations, and organizational management.
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Starting next summer, students in our Portland-based executive MBA program will have the chance to broaden their perspectives with a stint in Europe, via the UO | Nyenrode international study program, offered in partnership with Nyenrode Business Universiteit in The Netherlands. (In subsequent years the program will be expanded to include undergraduates and other students.) On the U.S. side of the partnership, the Lundquist College will host students from Nyenrode's international and executive MBA programs, who will complete the Americas module of their education at our campuses in Eugene and Portland. Thanks to the program's innovative structure, students from both schools will collaborate on a variety of projects. "Working together in cross-cultural teams is a tremendous opportunity for all program participants," said Dean de Kluyver. "We are very excited about renewing our partnership with Nyenrode."
Fall term is off to an exciting start, with 855 undergraduates entering as prebusiness majors. October 12 is the date of the New Majors Celebration, when the entire college will join together to congratulate the 350 students who have progressed to full business major status since last spring. Members of this year's Masters of Accounting cohort challenged themselves on the Spencer Butte ropes course--and have the photos to prove it, on this Facebook photo album. Eight new PhD candidates have begun their studies here, bringing the grand total to thirty. Before classes even started, our first-year MBA students had an eye-opening experience in Prologue, a two-week crash course in everything MBA. Read about their adventures in the UO Business blog.
SEPTEMBER NEWS
CEOs who fly private planes for a hobby bring their daredevil ways to the companies they head, according to a new study by UO finance professor Stephen McKeon, who just joined the Lundquist College faculty. After comparing 179 CEO pilots with nearly 3,000 nonpilots, McKeon and coauthor Matthew D. Cain, University of Notre Dame, determined that CEOs who fly on the side take on more debt, make more acquisitions, and produce greater stock return volatility. What's more, these high-flying CEOs "also tend to be effective leaders," according to McKeon. The study has gained national attention, and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, SmartMoney, Forbes, and others. Read more. UPDATE:See McKeon discuss his work on Fox Business News.
"I don't think I would be as successful at running if I didn't try to focus on academics as well," said Jordan Hasay, the UO student who was recently named Academic All-American of the Year for women's track and field/cross country. Hasay--who recently switched her major to pre-business--is the third-ever UO student to have received this recognition, joining runner Galen Rupp and former quarterback Bill Musgrave. (For the record, Rupp and Musgrave were also Lundquist College students.) She is also the first-ever sophomore to have received this honor in any sport. Find out more about Hasay and see how she balances academics and athletics.
The first-ever official reception for the UO Accounting Alumni Network took place in the UO Portland White Stag building in June. The event brought together Portland-area grads from a wide range of eras: "We had a fellow who graduated in 1957, and then somebody who graduated last year, and everything in between," recalled accounting instructor Michele Henney, one the event's organizers and the department’s external relations manager. "It was tremendous!" (See photos of the festivities--including the UO Duck--in the UO Accounting Alumni Network’s Facebook album.) Future plans include a get-together in Eugene this fall and, during the next few years, a series of receptions to be held in metropolitan areas up and down the West Coast. To keep current, follow the accounting network on Twitter, "like" their Facebook page, and join them on LinkedIn. Think your city is the best spot for the next event? Let Michele know.
"Nobody ever told me I couldn't do something, and as a result I tried all sorts of things" said Carolyn Chambers '53, the trailblazing entrepreneur who died on Monday, August 8. Chambers's entrepreneurial spirit blossomed while she was still in her twenties, when she borrowed $100,000 from her father, pooled that with funds from other investors, and applied for an FCC license. Her request was granted and KEZI went on the air in 1960. This was just the start for Chambers, whose vision and drive propelled her into cable television, construction, and the wine industry, among other ventures. Her lasting legacy at the business school includes a professorship that bears her name, her generous support for the construction of the Lillis Business Complex, and the key role she played in developing the UO's Technology Entrepreneurship Program. She will be missed. Find out more about Chambers and read the UO tribute.
This summer, the American Marketing Association honored Lynn Kahle with the 2011 Sports Marketing Lifetime Achievement Award for his "distinguished career contributions to the scientific understanding of the sports business." The Ehrman Giustina Professor of Marketing joins fellow faculty member T. Bettina Cornwell, who received the honor in 2009. A member of the Lundquist College faculty since 1983, Kahle began teaching a popular sports marketing course in the early 1990s. After a meeting with Jim Warsaw that "literally changed [his] life," Kahle played a key role in launching the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center and was the first Warsaw Professor of Sports Marketing. Find out more about Kahle and his recent book Consumer Behavior Knowledge for Effective Sports and Event Marketing.
It was a match made in start-up heaven. Doug Anderson, MBA '11, and Paul Clark, MBA '11, were looking for a real-life project to apply the skills they'd honed in the business school's venture launch pathway. UO architecture professor Ihab Elzeyadi was looking for a way to commercialize the SolarStream Awning, an innovative three-in-one green building product he had recently developed. Brought together through Oregon BEST--the nonprofit organization that pairs university researchers with business talent--the team created a business plan that won them a spot in the Cleantech Open semifinals this past June. Their prize? A $10,000 software package plus spots in this summer's Cleantech Open National Academy, a "boot camp" for aspiring entrepreneurs. Read Doug and Paul's blog posts and get the details on the SolarStream Awning.
Launched last year as part of the UO's diversity initiative, the Building Business Leaders project welcomes its second group of incoming students. Catch up with the first cohort in this video. Competing in the elite Venture Labs Investment Competition (formerly Moot Corp.), UO start-up teams won honors in their respective tracks: Sonas for Best Written Plan and Best Presentation, and VisiRay for Best Written Plan. Did you see? Our Portland-based executive MBA program was featured in Alaska Airlines' Horizon Air magazine. In the international spotlight: a grand total of six professors and PhD candidates presented at this summer's World Marketing Congress in Reims, France. Hey, UO NetImpact and accounting fraternity Beta Alpha Psi, congrats on achieving gold status! American Express announced the winners of last spring's social media case competition: business students Julie Grimstad and Trevor Haynes, and advertising major Kaila Bittinger.
JUNE NEWS
The University of Oregon Lundquist College of Business has named Dr. Wes Balda assistant dean for Portland programs, including the twenty-six-year-old Oregon Executive MBA. Charged with leading the college's efforts to engage Portland and Northwest businesses in new ways, Balda will oversee the creation of a "building block" model of executive education--one that is currently offered by only a few other executive MBA programs in the world. This new model will enable professionals to earn certificates in specific knowledge areas without being required to enroll in the full executive MBA program (though the full MBA will continue to be obtainable through the completion of multiple certificates). Also reflecting the concept of "just-in-time education" is Balda's plan for the development of short courses and corporate programs--including international study tours--that can be custom-tailored to an organization's specific needs. "I am honored to have been selected to lead a flagship program of global caliber during this exciting period of transition," said Balda, who begins his new position June 15. Find out more about the changes to the Oregon Executive MBA program and read more about Wes Balda.
"Who is this guy?" was the question on everyone's lips when first-year pro triathlete Jesse Thomas came out of nowhere to win this year's prestigious Avia Wildflower Triathlon with a time of 4:04:45. Folks at the Lundquist College of Business knew Thomas as a 2009 graduate of the school's MBA program in the sports marketing track with a secondary concentration in entrepreneurship. After graduating, Thomas put off his job search to follow his dream of becoming a professional athlete. Still, Thomas kept at least one foot in the business world by starting Leap Day Consulting, which offers small-business and product development consulting. When two-time U.S. 5K champion Lauren Fleshman--who also happens to be married to Thomas--started a line of dairy- and gluten-free energy bars, Thomas became a cofounder and the company's CEO. Needless to say, with so much going on the athlete/entrepreneur has found some unique strategies for maintaining work-life balance. Find out how he does it in the video above.
Hands-on experience managing live money in emerging markets: How's that for a resume builder? Starting this fall, finance-minded MBA students will have a chance to do just that, by enrolling in a class in which--with faculty oversight--they share the responsibility of managing the school's newly created Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio (EMEP). Though elements are modeled after the successful portfolios managed by the student-run University of Oregon Investment Group, the new fund offers additional layers of complexity. "Analyzing an EMEP company goes beyond financial statements and industry growth," said MBA candidate Tareq AlMusharaf, one of the four MBAs affiliated with the Finance and Securities Analysis Center (FSAC) who generated the portfolio's investment model this year. "The person involved must understand the country, its driving forces, cultural preferences and values," he added. With an expected launch date of fall 2011, the EMEP is aiming for target funding of $1 million. (Interested in contributing to this innovative project? Download the EMEP brochure to find out more.) Read an interview with AlMusharaf and watch a video about the leading edge tools FSAC students use in their research.
For sustainable business to truly take off, consumer behavior must change. How consumer psychologists can effect this change was the theme of this year's Advertising and Consumer Psychology Conference, held in the Lillis Business Complex last month. Experts from all over the world gathered to share their insights in sessions on greenwashing, persuasion tactics, end-of-product-life and more. Hosted by marketing department head Lynn Kahle, and co-sponsored by the Center for Sustainable Business Practices, the event was kicked off with a keynote speech by Eugene Mayor, Kitty Piercy. View conference photos plus video of Mayor Piercy's speech and check out Professor Kahle's pieces in the Register-Guard and Sustainable Business Oregon.
Gaining a global perspective doesn’t always require a trip overseas. For the undergraduates and MBA students attending the Warsaw Sports Business Club's first annual Global Sports Business Symposium, a day spent in Portland provided a panoramic view of sports business in China. First stop was the Pearl District headquarters of Li Ning Sports USA, where participants squeezed in some shopping alongside a tour of the facility. After a presentation by the company's direct sales manager, visitors were given the rare opportunity to peek into the company's design rooms. Next, it was on to the White Stag building for lunch (Chinese, of course). A keynote speech from Nike global advertising manager Coco Xie kicked off a panel discussion in which industry experts from adidas, OctagonAsia, and OneAsia shared their perspectives on the ins and outs of doing business in China. Get the details on the Warsaw Center blog.
For Amanda Rhodes, MBA ’11, the high point of the Center for Sustainable Business Practice’s recent trip to San Francisco was seeing the clear connection between what she’s been studying and what’s being practiced in the working world. “We got to interact with . . . people who are talking about sustainable business on a daily basis, and this is what we’re doing here as well,” said Rhodes. What surprised the soon-to-be graduate the most? Just how fascinating she found the group’s visit with an impact investing firm. Get the inside story in the video above.
When American Express went looking for a tech-savvy city to serve as the nation's sole test market for their new financial service product Serve, they chose Eugene. (You may have seen their table at the Saturday Market in April and May.) When they went looking for innovative ways to get the word out about Serve to the elusive eighteen-to-thirty-year-old demographic, they partnered up with the UO Chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA) to host a social media marketing case competition. "College students are seen as experts in social media, so AmEx was excited to work with us," said UO AMA president Tim West. Late last month, seven teams of UO students competed for a grand prize of $1,500 in cash, plus--if American Express decides to use the winning strategy--a trip to New York to meet with executives at company headquarters. UPDATE: the winning team members were business students Julie Grimstad and Trevor Haynes, and advertising major (and business minor) Kaila Bittinger. Check out their three-part social media strategy.
Can solving social and environmental problems be part and parcel of a competitive investment strategy? The answer is yes, according to advocates of impact investing, a strategy that's recently gained attention even from mainstream financial institutions. For five Fridays this spring, MBA candidates explored this question in depth, in a new class led by industry expert Dave Chen, a principal at the Equilibrium Capital Group. Each week, students heard from investment professionals specializing in such asset classes as renewable energy financing, green real estate, clean tech venture capital, and more. To cap off the experience, student teams created and presented their own proposals for financial vehicles that do good while delivering a healthy return. Download PowerPoint slideshows of the student proposals: N2N Capital, Community-Led REIT, Improving Water Infrastructure, Southern Sudan Sustainable Ag-For Fund, and The Well Fund.
MAY NEWS
Ever wonder what it's like to take part in the New Venture Championship (NVC), the UO's internationally renowned business plan competition? Here's your chance to find out. We embedded a videographer to follow Team VisiRay at this year's NVC in early April. The team--three MBA candidates and a physics grad student--competed for a grand prize of $25,000 plus guaranteed berth in the University of Texas's Venture Labs Investment Competition. Win or lose--in the end, it's all about the experience. Read the NVC blog for more highlights and competition results. Watch the video here.
A global outlook, plus a deep understanding of the principles of finance and accounting: these are core attributes of the Finance and Securities Analysis Center (FSAC). They also describe Jeffrey B. DeBoer, the center's newly appointed managing director, who joins the UO on July 1. DeBoer brings a wide range of career experience to his new position, thanks to more than a decade as CFO of Lithia Motors--a Fortune 700 auto retailer and one of Oregon's largest public companies after Nike. He also spent several years in Japan in both international commercial banking and investment management, working at Fidelity Investments, the world's largest fund management company, and Fuji Bank. "DeBoer's breadth of experience across industry sectors in Europe and Asia makes him the perfect choice to lead our world-class center," said Dean de Kluyver. Read the press release here.
A new $12,000 grant from the university's Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity has provided seed money for the debut of the business school's Diversity in the Workplace Symposium, scheduled for winter 2012. Developed by the Lundquist College of Business Diversity Committee, the day-long event will bring together students, faculty, staff, and community members to discuss the value of workplace diversity, how businesses can promote and affirm it, how students can best prepare themselves for working in diverse environments, and more. "Our students are eager for an event that speaks to their current and future experiences in the workplace," said committee member Tayah Butler. (Individuals and corporations interested in taking an active sponsorship role in this initiative are invited to contact Ron Bramhall at rcb@uoregon.edu.)
Students aiming for a job in the financial world had a terrific opportunity to learn and network at the recent Careers in Banking and Wealth Management event. Industry pros shared their savvy in panel discussions and representatives from twenty-one companies met with students out on the floor of Lillis Atrium. Among the crowd of financial pros were several UO alums, including Alexandra Iosif '10, who came back to share her experience. Her key tip? "If you're looking for a job or internship, I suggest one thing: confidence!" She should know. Recently named MassMutual's top financial representative nationwide, Iosif was steered to her current job by a contact she made at a career fair in her freshman year.
It looks so easy when it's done right. The art and science of selecting the right athlete to represent a brand was the central topic of this year's Women in Sports Business Symposium, April 28. Nike's Kristin Harrer moderated as the panel's four women shared their insights and experiences. (The UO was well represented: both Harrer and panelist Suzanne Davies received their MBAs from the Lundquist College of Business and are Warsaw Sports Marketing Center alumna.) Rounding out the discussion was a talk by Stacey Allaster, chairman and CEO of the Women's Tennis Association and recent recipient of the Jim Warsaw and Annalee Thurston Award. Now celebrating its fifteenth year, the symposium is organized and managed by a group of female and male students from the Warsaw Center. Get the details on the group's website.
"Proost!" The traditional Dutch toast rang out as glasses of jonge jenever were hoisted to celebrate the first official reunion of the UO | Nyenrode Business Exchange Program. Braving stormy spring weather, about eighty guests came to the cocktail event in the Lillis Atrium, where they were greeted by our own Dean de Kluyver and Maurits van Rooijen, the rector magnificus of Nyenrode Business Universiteit, who had come all the way from the Breukelen campus for the occasion. Festivities included two surprise appearances: the UO Duck and a red-jump-suit clad crooner claiming to be Elvis himself. When they weren't catching up with long-ago classmates, program alums recorded their memories on video. "As we re-launch the exchange program, we will share these stories with participating students so they understand the legacy of which they are now a part," said Dean de Kluyver. View a Facebook photo album of the event.
"We need to have an ethical standard that's higher than ourselves," said Jason Pierce, CEO of the Eugene-area company My Little Salesman, in his keynote speech at the business school’s first-ever Ethics Case Competition. Sponsored by the Lundquist College undergraduate honors program together with seven of Lane County's Rotary Clubs, the event drew eleven teams of four undergraduates each. Competing for cash prizes totaling $2,000, participants tackled a knotty real-world problem: how airlines handle plus-size passengers, as exemplified by filmmaker Kevin Smith’s Twitter-fueled feud with Southwest Airlines. Pleased with the enthusiastic reception, the event's sponsors are committed to making it happen again next year. "Though ethical issues have always been integral to the business school curriculum, we believe it's essential to give students a chance to test their skills by tackling the complex issues faced by businesses today," said Ron Bramhall, director of the undergraduate honors program. Catch the excitement in this video about the event.
It was with great sadness that the Lundquist College of Business community learned of the death of retired professor Stuart Rich. Born in 1920, Rich held a bachelor's degree from Wabash College and a doctorate in business administration from Harvard. During World War II, Rich served in the Navy Scouts and Raiders (a forerunner of today's Navy SEAL unit) and participated in five invasions. Here at the business school, he taught marketing strategy to a generation of students. Starting in 1963, he directed the school's Forest Industries Management Center, implementing a forest industry MBA degree that was unique in the nation. An avid mountaineer, Rich climbed peaks from the Cascades to the Urals. An active member of Eugene Mountain Rescue even into his seventies, "Stu frequently headed search and rescue missions in the most dangerous of circumstances, showing the same courage and wisdom in mountaineering that he had displayed as a hero of D-Day and as an enforcer of rigorous academic standards," said Professor of Marketing Lynn Kahle. Read a recent Register-Guard article about Stu Rich.
How can green practices be used to grow the area economy? What must be done to keep Oregon at the forefront of the nation's cleantech movement? How can state and local governments help get the job done? These were just a few of the questions addressed in "The Next Step: Greening the Path to Recovery," the fourth annual Green Business Symposium, March 31-April 1, at the UO White Stag Building in Portland. Participants had the opportunity to attend four panels presented by regional and national business leaders, policymakers, academics, and legal practitioners. From the earliest planning through execution, the entire event was coordinated by the Green Business Initiative Student Association, a joint venture of MBA candidates and law students. Read event details here.
APRIL NEWS
Snip! A ribbon-cutting ceremony--with scissors wielded by Hope Anstett and family--marked the grand reopening of Anstett (formerly Gilbert) Hall. The building's handsome historic façade was preserved while its interior was gutted completely and then rebuilt for modern needs--using sustainable materials and technology wherever possible. Although the majority of the project was funded by Hope Anstett's generous bequest, additional help came from other donors and also the Oregon State Legislature. "Anstett Hall represents a successful coming together of public and private monies to advance business and education in Oregon," said Dean de Kluyver. See photos on Facebook.
A grand new tradition began last month, with the presentation of the first-ever Jim Warsaw and Annalee Thurston Award at a festive dinner gala during the BNP Paribas Open in southern California. Created to honor the legacies of Jim Warsaw and Annalee Thurston, the award recognizes individuals, female or male, who have created and advanced opportunities for women in the business of sport. Its first recipient was Stacey Allaster, chairwoman and CEO of the Women's Tennis Association, who has led the way in securing equal prize money for male and female tennis players. Watch a video about the award.
With the recent opening of the Business Research Institute, the school has gained a dedicated, state-of-the-art space for conducting market research, focus groups, video conferencing, and more. Thanks to a generous gift from the HEDCO Foundation, the new space is equipped with the latest in market research technology. The institute "truly makes marketing research classes come alive," said marketing professor Joan Giese, who played a key role in its development. Modeled on private research agencies, the facility is available for use by outside companies as well. (Interested? Contact Professor Giese at jlgiese@uoregon.edu.)
Two start-up teams from the Lundquist Center for Entrepreneurship are racking up a string of successes--and some nice cash prizes, too. At the Stuart Clark Investment Challenge held in Winnipeg, Canada, Sonas LLC took second place and $10,000 for their presentation of a business concept based on a technology that uses acoustic waves to precisely identify any liquid in sealed containers. Sonas had previously competed at the University of Cincinnati's Spirit of Enterprise, where they won the trade show competition. View a brief presentation by Sonas LLC.
Meanwhile, last fall’s Graduate Venture Quest winner VisiRay Inc. nabbed third place in two separate competitions: the Cardinal Challenge at the University of Louisville and the technology track of Carnegie Mellon University's McGinnis Venture Challenge--where they also came in fourth in the elevator pitch competition.
And just last week, VisiRay qualified for this May's Willamette Angel Conference by winning the three-minute pitch competition put on by local entrepreneurship group SmartUps. Check out VisiRay's turbo-charged SmartUps pitch in a Facebook video and see them at the Cardinal Cup.
Ever wondered how much carbon you're saving when you pedal your bicycle instead of taking your car? Soon you'll know, thanks to the Ride Your Bike There smartphone app. Created by a team of MBA candidates from the Center for Sustainable Business Practices working with students from disciplines across the university, the app was powered by a grant from the Student Sustainability Fund. What sets this carbon calculator apart? Rather than focusing on the negative, the app "allows users to see the positive effects of their lifestyle," said MBA candidate Katie Brennan, who has been involved with project from the start. Though not yet available for download, you can take the eco-friendly app for a spin during campus Earth Day festivities. Get a sneak peek in this video.
Congratulations to Richard Reynolds, Ryan Bennett, and Liam Bain, three undergraduate finance students who recently won the Oregon round of the CFA Institute Global Investment Research Challenge. Though their entire presentation received high marks from all the judges, "the clear differentiator was the team's oral presentation, which was outstanding in all regards," said Beth Hjelm, interim director of the Securities Analysis Center and the team's faculty advisor. Now the team heads off to Omaha, where they will compete for a spot in the global finals--against more than forty teams from schools all over North and South America. Wish them luck! Find out more about the CFA Institute Global IRC.
Business students from the Center for Sustainable Business Practices worked with with master's candidates from the architecture and landscape architecture programs to compete in the ULI/Gerald D. Hines Urban Design Competition. "The MBAs wanted to really crunch the numbers before putting pencil to paper," said MBA candidate Andy Fenstermacher. "At times this clashed with the design students who were definitely more eager to start drawing." Once their differences were resolved, the team forged ahead, taking just fifteen days to complete their examination of how a site in Seattle could capitalize on its new light rail station. All the hard work paid off: their entry "Water Scapes" won an honorable mention for "Comprehensive Thinking about the Water Cycle." Get more details and view a PDF of the final project.
With the warmer weather and (at least a few) sunnier days, comes another inevitable spring ritual: tax day. Luckily for the tax-phobic among us, help is at hand. Starting each February, members of the UO branch of the national accounting society Beta Alpha Psi team up with law students to offer free tax preparation to students and area residents, as part of VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance), a nationwide program run by the Internal Revenue Service. Still haven’t filed? You’re in luck--VITA volunteers will be available two more Saturdays: April 9 and April 16, from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Lillis 155. Visit the Beta Alpha Psi website for details.
MARCH NEWS
"We want to become the just-in-time partner to help develop the next layer of leadership for Northwest corporations and organizations," is how Dean Kees de Kluyver described the vision behind his upcoming revamp of the Oregon Executive MBA program in a recent interview with the Register-Guard. Plans include dividing the program into a handful of distinct subject areas so that working executives can earn certificates in one or more--or take them all for the full MBA. The program’s sponsorship will change, too. Portland State University has chosen to withdraw amicably from the three-school consortium that has run the program since its mid-1980s inception. And--shortly before press time--Oregon State University announced its plans to pull out as well. Current MBA candidates can rest assured: their program will stay the same (including its current location at 200 SW Market Street) and PSU and OSU will remain involved through the 2013 graduation. Read articles in the Register-Guard and Portland Business Journal.
Bright smiles, tables draped in vivid primary colors, and the hum of excited talk among the fifty female undergraduates matched with fifty professional women--all pointed to the success of the sixth annual student-run event. This year’s theme was "Paint Your Own Picture," and the keynote speaker was business school alum Erin Tyburski, who recently served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya. Catch the energy in this video.
What inspired CEO and founder of Mazama Capital Management Ron Sauer to travel from his company's Portland headquarters to Eugene to teach the five session portfolio management analysis course this winter term? The students. "They're like wet sponges," said Sauer. "They’re very knowledgeable and very passionate about what we’re talking about." For his students, the excitement is all about seeing the concepts they've learned at school used in the real world by an expert practitioner. "It's a different experience from a classroom, that's for sure," said undergraduate Ari Siegel, who is also a member of the UO Investment Group. Though learning from working professionals has long been a core part of school's mission, expect to see even more of it as Dean de Kluyver rolls out his plan for "professors of practice"--a new category of faculty composed of professionals with extensive industry experience. Watch the video.
Excitement ran high for the twenty-five students in the CEO Network when Dean Kees de Kluyver came to their Friday morning leadership seminar to facilitate the analysis of a case from the Harvard Business Review. "The students impressed me with their critical thinking and willingness to take on even the most complex issues," said de Kluyver. Launched this past fall, the network provides leadership coaching, mentoring, and networking opportunities to a culturally diverse group of pre-business undergraduates. "The CEO Network is a key addition to the college’s Diversity Initiative," said de Kluyver. "The success of its pilot cohort has been pivotal in the decision to expand the program for next fall."
Solar energy has been around for decades. Why isn't it more widely used? PhD candidates Matthew Metzger and Jesse King looked for answers by examining influences on new product development in the solar industry. Recently, they were invited by the Green Product Design Network to present their investigations at a poster session associated with the second annual UO Graduate Student Research Forum. (Do you work in the solar energy industry? Matthew and Jesse want to hear from you. Contact mmetzge1@uoregon.edu.) Get more details: download the poster.
With only twenty-four hours to prepare a twenty-minute presentation on the future of Louisville's Muhammad Ali Center, teams vying for the 2011 National Sports Foundation Case Cup had to move fast. The four MBA students representing the Warsaw Center were up to the challenge and advanced to the finals after besting a pool that included Central Florida, South Carolina, and George Washington University. Though Louisville University took top prize, the UO team landed second place out of the ten competing schools.
Early last month, a group of first-year MBA students in the Lundquist Center for Entrepreneurship hit the road and headed north to meet with executives from thirteen companies, including Amazon, Cascade Designs, Microsoft, and Valve. Hearing successful entrepreneurs and intrepreneurs discuss their companies and their own career paths was an exciting opportunity. And, for MBA candidate and LCE blogger Niloofar Mirani, it was proof-positive that "there are thousands of ways people can be successful." Students also set up the meetings themselves. This too proved eye-opening. As blogger and MBA candidate Brian Oehler put it, the experience "showed all of us that all it takes is a phone call to start reaching out to companies to develop a network or pursue an internship." Read Niloofar and Brian's blog entries or view a video about the trip.
"Bottom-up" is the approach Tom Osdoba advocates in his recent article on energy policy for Sustainable Business Oregon. Rather than wait for change to take place at a federal or international level, the director of the Center for Sustainable Business Practices argued that policy measures taken at the local, regional, and state levels are the most direct route to a utility structure built around clean energy. The value for Oregon and the nation? "The states and communities that move the most aggressively in this direction," according to Osdoba, "will be the most successful at owning highly profitable new markets for clean technologies." (And speaking of bottom-up, Osdoba was recently in a fun ad holding a cute baby clad in biodegradable gDiapers--manufactured by a company that Osdoba and his students have advised on improving its supply chain, among other green topics.) Read the article or view the ad.
Responses poured in from all over the globe after last month’s item on the upcoming reunion of the Nyenrode Exchange Program, scheduled for April 16. Here is the latest info on this event: business casual (not black-tie) is now the suggested dress for the cocktail and hors d'ouevres evening. Entertainment will include a mystery guest, the opportunity to record your favorite memories on camera, and--of course--the chance to reconnect with fellow alums. You are also cordially invited to meet up on the web, on the brand new UO | Nyenrode Exchange Alums group on LinkedIn and the UO | Nyenrode Exchange Alums page on Facebook. For more info about the reunion or to RSVP, contact Dawn Carlile: dcarlile@uoregon.edu.
FEBRUARY NEWS
Sugar, fat, and salt will continue to fuel the national debate on childhood nutrition, thanks to a study by T. Bettina Cornwell. In a study of preschoolers aged three to five, Cornwell and her coauthor, Anna McAlister, University of Wisconsin, found that children with higher awareness of fast food and soft drink brands tend to have developed a preference for sugar, salt, and fat. This study builds on the team’s earlier work, which showed that preschool children recognize many common logos--even though they aren’t yet able to read. The study, forthcoming in the journal Appetite, has already garnered significant national and regional media from The Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee, and others. Read more.
Local and national companies are invited to join an exclusive group of 100 corporations gaining valuable benefits while forging a dynamic partnership with the Lundquist College of Business. Advantages will include preferred access to student resumes, early access to faculty research, invitations to join the college at special events--and more. Sponsorships at the silver, gold, and platinum levels are available. Get more info or download brochure (PDF).
“Amazing!” “Phenomenal!” “Unbelievable!”--once again, the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center’s annual New York trip was a huge success, providing MBA candidates with unprecedented entrée into the sports business world, including the opportunity for in-depth meetings with five of the twenty most influential people in sports--in just three short days. Still jazzed from their whirlwind experience, participants shared their excitement and inspiration.
Everybody wins when student-athletes connect with area residents, says Oregon MBA student Matt Geschke, a former NCAA basketball player at Johns Hopkins University. As a graduate teaching fellow with O Heroes--a nonprofit organization within the UO athletic department--Matt develops programs that enable student-athletes to serve the Eugene/Springfield community. Recent events include partnering for bowling practice with Special Olympics participants. Because the volunteers are athletes, said Geschke, there is “a different level of excitement when they show up at a school or hospital.” Read a blog entry about O Heroes.
Calling all former participants in the Nyenrode Exchange Program. Join us on April 16, 2011, in the Lillis atrium for a festive event celebrating the program’s revival after a hiatus of more than two decades. First launched in 1965, the program sent American undergraduates to The Netherlands while bringing Dutch students to the United States--including one whose name will likely ring a bell: Kees de Kluyver, our current dean. To receive updates about this event, provide contact info for former participants, or arrange to share your Nyenrode memorabilia, please email Dawn Carlile. dcarlile@lcbmail.uoregon.edu
From vision to Venture Quest to reality--that’s the course charted by sisters Lindsey and Sydney Swing and their start-up company Swing Mobility Aids, LLC. Their product? A souped-up walker geared to disabled youths and adults, as well as active seniors. After learning about the many injuries caused by devices currently on the market, current UO business major Lindsey sketched out a better product. Next, she and her sister Sydney--a UO alum--interviewed people currently using mobility aids. Participating in--and winning--last spring’s undergraduate Venture Quest competition helped Lindsey take their business plan to the next level. Today, the sisters are on track to ship their first order by the end of February. "We think there are going to be a lot of changes in this industry, because people are going to have to adapt to keep up with us," said Sydney. Visit the Swing Mobility Aids website.
“It was really cool to see the other side--what exactly they looked at--when they looked at my resume and cover letter,” said undergraduate Jenna Robinson, describing her experience at Career Service’s recent Ask the Business Professional workshop. Held on Tuesday, January 25, the workshop gave students the chance to get candid, real-world feedback on their resumes, cover letters, and job/internship search strategies. “To my knowledge, this type of workshop is a fairly uncommon model among business schools, but one to which students react enthusiastically,” said Bill Sherman of Career Services. And it’s not just students who benefit: participating companies get something back too, according to Sherry Shultz of Levi Strauss & Co: “Our goal is to help to build a bridge between our company and the University of Oregon.”
Students in Jennifer Howard-Grenville’s industrial ecology course got plenty of hands-on experience helping develop solutions for real-life issues in the city of Salem. The course was part of UO’s Sustainable Cities Initiative, a program partnering students from business, architecture and other disciplines to promote local green development. Students worked with three organizations--Salem’s wastewater treatment plant; Norpac, the regional food processor; and Sequential Pacific Biofuels, the bio-diesel manufacturer--all of which plan to use elements of the students’ research going forward. “To me, the biggest part of the learning is how complex each situation is,” summed up Howard-Grenville. “That’s one of the benefits--to see how messy the real world is.” Read More.
JANUARY NEWS
Cash prizes, plus the opportunity to get real-world feedback from area business leaders—these were the awards teams of entrepreneurship students competed for in the annual graduate Venture Quest this past December. Each team’s presentation was followed by a rapid-fire Q&A with contest judges. The winning project? VisiRay, a unique pest-detection technology presented by Walther Buecklers, Andrew Cook, Matt Eskue, and Orit Ofr. Runner-up was ShadyPeeps, a student-launched company that has already sold 3,500 pairs of university-themed sunglasses. Find out from students and judges why the business plan competition is so valuable.
Wondering where the current cohorts of Oregon MBA students hail from? Curious about where and with which companies they’ve had recent internships? The answer is all over the map--literally! Click the icons on our cool new interactive maps to get the inside scoop on each student and internship.
Don Upson is quick to give all the credit to his students, but it’s no coincidence that year after year his students launch successful startups. The success of Shady Peeps, FloraGenex, Perpetua Power, Innovative Sports Strategies, Sunburst, and dozens more is a testament to Don’s teaching, dedication, and mentorship. In recognition of Upson’s contributions to advancing the economic vitality of the state, the reputation of the college, and the lives of students, the college has honored Upson as the 2011 Thomas C. Stewart Distinguished Professor. Congratulations Don.
Congratulations to Lundquist College of Business alums Kari Patterson and Jeremy Prickel on receiving 20 Under 40 awards, an annual recognition of Lane County’s rising business leaders. Kari--controller and VP of finance at PacificSource Health Plans--was recognized for her rapid ascent to top brass. Jeremy--a partner and shareholder at Jones & Roth CPAs--won kudos for his community involvement, as well as for being the youngest partner in the history of his company. Find out more about Kari, Jeremy and the 20 Under 40 Awards.
Check out great career tips shared by MBA alums working at Nike during the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center’s recent field trip. Plus, read success stories from graduates now working at Kraft Foods, Deloitte, and Hitachi Consulting. Curious where other grads found work? Download the latest stats (PDF) on the class of 2010, and read the just-published Lundquist Career Services newsletter (graduate and undergraduate PDF editions).
The supportive research culture of the Lundquist College accounting department continues to pay dividends. Mostly recently, David Guenther was named an incoming editor of The Accounting Review, one of the top three journals for accounting research. The appointment is a recognition of Guenther’s scholarly acumen and contribution to advancing accounting knowledge through his insightful peer reviews and collaborations with researchers around the world. Guenther assumes his editorial duties this June.
Sponsorship as a sales and marketing tool is well established in the United States. In the Middle East, its use is still burgeoning. Enter T. Bettina Cornwell, the director of research for the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center, who was an invited guest at the Arabian Sponsorship Forum 2010 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on December 8. One of the world’s leading authorities on sponsorship and sports marketing, Cornwell hosted “Introduction to Sponsorship,” a workshop for more than 150 students. She also served on the panel of judges doling out awards for the region’s best sponsorship practices. Other panelists and speakers at the forum--attended by thousands--included executives from Mercedes Benz, adidas, and Saatchi & Saatchi. Read More.
Let’s break it down by numbers: 67 pledges, $37,534 donated (15 percent of UO total), $560.21 average gift. Those figures represent the contributions by Lundquist College of Business faculty and staff to the annual Oregon Charitable Fund Drive. More than half of the college’s employees participated, giving part of their paychecks to charities throughout the state. Each year, the Oregon Charitable Fund Drive asks state employees to give to their choice of more than 800 local non-profits. Oh, and for the record, total UO pledges were $248,065.00-$120,000 more than OSU and PSU combined. Go Ducks.
DECEMBER NEWS
Ducks Win Big on and off Field
"After taking my official visit, I learned about their sports marketing program, and they jumped to the top of my list," said five-star football recruit Anthony Wallace, explaining his decision to join the Ducks next year. The Lundquist College of Business's Warsaw Sports Marketing Center, to which Wallace referred, is just one example of the melding of academics and athletics at the University of Oregon. Several current business majors were also recently recognized for academic prowess across sports ranging for football to soccer and volleyball, helping set a UO record for most Pac-10 All-Academic Honors in a season. More.
Among the UO student-athletes recognized this fall for scholarly achievement were tight end David Paulson, a business major with a 3.66 GPA, placing him on the Pac-10 All-Academic First Team. Outside linebacker Ramsen Golpashin earned a spot on the Pac-10 All-Academic Second Team, with a 3.55 GPA in business administration.
Jen Stoltenberg, a senior forward on the UO women's soccer team, likewise earned Pac-10 All-Academic Second Team honors with a GPA of 3.49 in business. And Katherine Fischer, a pre-business major on the UO women's volleyball team, gained the top spot on the Pac-10 All-Academic First Team with a GPA of 4.00. She was also honored nationally as an ESPN Academic All-American.
Several track and field and cross country student-athletes majoring in business were also honored last spring and summer with academic honors.
The Lundquist College of Business congratulates the exceptional achievements of these student athletes on an off the field.
Students Cook Up Idea Paula Loves
If you've watched Paula Deen on the Food Network cooking up some holiday treats, you may have noticed her tin measuring spoons and cups. Crosby & Taylor (formerly Tin Woodsman) of Eugene makes those items, and recently the firm asked our business students to come up with some ideas for extending its demographic reach. The company acted on the students' recommendation to combine kitchen and Christmas products. The end result was a set of holiday measuring spoons featured by Deen in her November/December 2010 magazine as a great gift idea. View PDF of magazine page.
Supwitchu . . . MBA Students?
Taking a cue from the success of "I Love My Ducks" on YouTube, our Oregon MBA students took a break from studying to create a viral video of their own. The video "Oregon MBA: Ride Your Bike There" provides an unfiltered perspective from some students about what they feel are unique qualities of our MBA program: active lifestyles, sustainability, entrepreneurial, camaraderie. Sounds kind of like the college's mission statement. It's also a fun video for alumni, reminding them of their college days.
Emerging Market Investment Fund
Investment Group (UOIG) already runs three portfolios of domestic equities, and now it is looking to expand internationally. MBA students affiliated with the Securities Analysis Center spent the fall term developing the specifications for a new UOIG portfolio to be focused on emerging markets, with an emphasis on Asia. In early 2011, students will make their pitch to potential investors, with the hopes of securing enough pledges for the fund to be operational next fall. Plans are for MBA students to manage the fund. Interested in learning more? bhjelm@uoregon.edu
Mustaches for a Cause
There were some hairy faces around the University of Oregon last month—including UO President Richard Lariviere—as business students took the leading on organizing Movember on campus. Movember is an awareness campaign for men's health issues in which men grow mustaches during the month of November. MBA students JJ Owen, Wes Petticrew, Rishi Mukhi, and Judy Sheldon were the ringleaders for the movement on campus, which involved t-shirts on sale at The Duck Store, video presentations at Autzen stadium during football games, and several news appearances. In all, the UO campaign raised nearly $10,000 for the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG, the Lance Armstrong Foundation. More.
Bamboo Paper: Is it Profitable?
BooShoot Gardens, a wholesale bamboo nursery, wanted to know whether it was practical to make paper from bamboo fiber. So Emma Kallaway, outgoing UO student body president and December 2010 Lundquist College of Business graduate, did a feasibility study. What made the project unique is that Kallaway, who is also a UO Clark Honors College student, broke new ground by completing the analysis as a practicum, rather than theoretical research, for her honor's thesis. Not only did she receive the highest grade possible, she also paved the way for more business students to complete the Clark Honors College program. As for whether she found bamboo paper to be as profitable for BooShoot Gardens as it was for her, well, that's a strategic advantage for BooShoot. UPDATE: in March 2011, Kallaway won a UO Undergraduate Research Award for her work on this topic. Her winning paper will be archived permanently in the UO Libraries Scholars' Banks. It is believed this is the first time a business student has been awarded this prize.
Scrutinizing the Housing Market
On October 21, the Portland Alternative Investments Association held a fall education panel sponsored by the Securities Analysis Center. In a wide ranging discussion, panelists discussed the current state of the U.S. housing market, the likelihood of a "double dip," structural and behavioral factors supporting improvement in commercial real estate, and the long tail of recovery that might exist in the residential housing market. Experts included Jon Fosheim, managing partner, Oak Hill REIT Management; Rance Gregory, CEO, NBS Real Estate Capital; Darin Turner, portfolio manager, Invesco; and Paul C. Westhead, managing director and CEO, Rimrock Capital Management.
Rethinking Microfinance
Microfinance, the extension of small loans (usually $100–$300) given to the poor to start income-generating programs, has become an popular way for corporations large and small to make a difference in society. But unforeseen issues can come into play. A symposium on October 19 hosted by the UO Center for Women in Society, along with workshops organized by students (many of them business students), explored the topic of women’s rights, microfinance, and entrepreneurial solutions to poverty. Lundquist College instructor Ron Severson also moderated the symposium, which provided on-the-ground insights from microfinance officers and asked some tough question about the practice. More.
NOVEMBER NEWS
You may have seen them around campus or caught a glimpse of them at Autzen Stadium. Shady Peeps sunglasses are showing up on Duck fans all around Eugene and Portland. Don’t know what we’re talking about? Shady Peeps are polarized, university-themed sunglasses that come in yellow and green, and they are blowing up with the help of MBA student Caleb Iorg, applying his education in real time. Read More.
You developed a potential life-saving technology. Now, you have to get it to market. Roger Newton, codiscoverer of Lipitor, shared his insights on the trials and tribulations of technology commercialization with students and faculty across campus on October 21. Newton was the first invited speaker for the Lundquist Center for Entrepreneurship's new Distinguished Lecture Series.
Oregon O's were on display in Shanghai this past summer with ten Lundquist College undergraduates studying business at Tongji University, June 28-August 6. Adding to that, six more students (four MBAs and two undergraduates) had eight-week internships at Spraying Systems Co.'s Shanghai facility. At Tongji University, students completed two courses, including one on corporate governance developed by UO senior accounting instructor Michele Henney. Students also enrolled in short courses in Chinese language.
Continue Reading.
Being able to put their UO business education in a global context--and in the financial center of the world's fastest growing economy--was a key takeaway for students participating in the Tongji study-aboard program, coordinated through the UO Office of International Affairs.
Tongji University is ranked in the top twenty-five universities in China, and its School of Economics and Management is one of the oldest and most highly ranked business schools in China. The program offered opportunities for Lundquist College students to interact with Chinese business students, faculty, and representatives of Chinese and multinational businesses. In addition to coursework, students attended guest lectures, special seminars, and company visits, adding an experiential element. Excursions included a visit to the 2010 World Expo, which Tongji faculty members were involved with through corporate partners.
As for students interning at Spraying Systems Co., they were in Shanghai from July to early September. Three MBA students from the Center for Sustainable Business practices worked on a sustainability project for the company. Another MBA student focused on product development processes, and the two undergraduates applied their knowledge to operations and supply chain management endeavors.
One of the CSBP students, Greg Carlson, said of the opportunity, "My experience as an intern in China was invaluable and sure to affect my approach to my future career."
"I soon found out that simply loving to travel did not immediately translate into success when working across cultures. Adapting to my new surroundings and attempting to apply my MBA skill set to the Chinese workplace was a hurdle I had to overcome," he elaborated.
The internships with Spraying System arose out of Associate Professor of Decision Sciences Nagesh Murthy's spring course Supply Chain Operations and Information. All six students were in the course, and Murthy visited Spraying Systems in Shanghai from September 16-19 to engage with their senior management; to spend half a day on their factory floor to get a detailed view of their technology, process, and challenges; and to subsequently provide guidance for students to wrap up their final analyses.
Murthy added that Spraying Systems was so supportive of the students that "the chairman of the company asked all six students to reflect on their experience and submit a one-page write-up."
And the possibility remains open for additional projects and internships in the future, perhaps even at one of Spraying Systems' facilities in Japan or in Bangalore, India.
Connect, Engage, Opportunity
Connecting with fellow students and supporting each other--that's what the CEO Network is all about. The network is a new college diversity initiative that welcomed it's first cohort of students this fall, and it's off to a great start. The students' upcoming dinner with UO President Richard Lariviere and outreach to businesses and alumni on Facebook and LinkedIn are just a few items keeping them busy. The above video documents some of their first experiences on campus.
In the Game
The lights, the cameras, the action--ESPN College GameDay arrived in Eugene for its broadcast of Oregon vs. Stanford October 2. And trust us, GameDay brings the brightest lights and best action in television production. Producers for ESPN and Octagon, a leading sports and entertainment marketing agency, also continued the tradition of crewing Warsaw Sports Business Club students as volunteers, giving them the chance to experience first-hand what it takes to put on an event of such magnitude. Read More.
How Sports Influence People
Legendary coach Jerry Tarkanian, "Tark the Shark," read and reviewed an early copy. Now, others can get their hands on the new book from Ehrman Giustina Professor of Marketing Lynn Kahle. Consumer Behavior Knowledge for Effective Sports and Event Marketing gives researchers and professionals alike insights into how and why consumers build sport into their lives and delivers proven tools to build relationships and brand affinity with consumers through sports and events. Read reviews.
Honoring a Distinguished Alum
A pioneer in the communications industry, Don Tykeson '51 built a small television station in Eugene into a multimillion-dollar, nationwide communications company now owned by AT&T. He was also a founding director of C-SPAN. The University of Oregon honored the business alum on October 13 with a 2010 Distinguished Service Award. Tykeson has served on the college's Business Advisory Council for years and is an actively engaged supporter of numerous UO programs and initiatives. Read More.
Venturing Down the Road
Lundquist Center for Entrepreneurship students pilled into vans October 14-15 to attend the Bend Venture Conference with more than 300 of the region's top entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders. Students observed, asked questions, and participated in the startup process as new ventures competed for $200,000 in prize money. "Most students are energized by the action and almost always leave with an 'I didn't realize. . .' observation,” said Terry Sebastian, the managing director of. Read More.